On January 1, things weren’t looking so good at Chicago’s Plunsett Group: Revenue was down 50 percent year over year, the stock was tanking, and an employee filed a lawsuit claiming he’d gained 180 pounds from office birthday cakes. CEO Marilyn Zimmer’s stress level was calculated at 9.4 out of a possible 10 on the Solomon Scale.
Meanwhile, in Finance, analyst Peter Hodges was about to be laid off due to recurring redundancies and additional multi-variables.
The two scenarios prompted Human Resources to devise an innovative plan to save the 58-year-old staffer’s job, and also help reduce the CEO’s stress. Hodges was offered a new position: Jester to the CEO.
“It made sense that productivity would improve if Ms. Zimmer were less stressed and happier,” says HR Director Tonya Willins. “We believed that having Mr. Hodges follow her around performing amusing antics would accomplish this effectively.”
Hodges – who had no prior jestering experience – assumed his new role on January 6. His duties include placing whoopee cushions under the seats of unsuspecting employees, honking a big gold horn, telling knock-knock jokes, and doing occasional pratfalls. “The overarching goal,” says Willins, “is increased profitability.”
While there have been a few minor issues over the past three months – one of Hodges’ pratfalls falls took out the company wi-fi, and an older worker suffered chest pains after shaking hands with a joy buzzer – the move appears to be successful. As of September 1, Ms. Willis’ stress level had been reduced to 6.5 on the scale. She has smiled 14.5 percent more often, and no longer shrieks whenever a phone rings.
Perhaps most telling, on September 6 Zimmer even took a pratfall herself.
